This chapter is about the five daily prayers and the cleansing power Allah has placed in them. The reports return again and again to one striking image: the prayers as water that washes a person clean.
Read these hadith together and the picture is steady and hopeful. Like bathing in a river five times a day, the daily prayers wipe away the smaller sins that build up in between, so long as the major ones are kept away. Prayer is offered here as Allah's ongoing mercy and a fresh start each day.
Hadith 1042
Abu Hurairahu (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "أرأيتم لو أن نهرًا بباب أحدكم يغتسل منه كل يوم خمس مرات، هل يبقى من درنه شيء؟" قالوا: لا يبقى من درنه شيء، قال: "فذلك مثل الصلوات الخمس، يمحو الله بهن الخطايا".((متفق عليه)).
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?" They replied, "No soiling would left on him." He (ﷺ) said, " That is the five (obligatory) Salat (prayers). Allah obliterates all sins as a result of performing them." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
The five daily prayers are like bathing in a river five times a day; through them Allah washes away sins, leaving no stain behind.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1042 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 52
Hadith 1043
Jabiru (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن جابر رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "مثل الصلوات الخمس كمثل نهر غمر جار على باب أحدكم يغتسل منه كل يوم خمس مرات" .((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The similitude of the five (obligatory) Salat is like a river running at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day." [Muslim].
In plain words
A short version of the same image: the five daily prayers are like a river at your door in which you bathe five times each day.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1043 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 53
Hadith 1044
Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه أن رجلا أصاب من امرأة قُبلةً، فأتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فأخبره فأنزل الله تعالى: {أقم الصلاة طرفي النهار وزلفًا من الليل، إن الحسنات يذهبن السيئات} فقال الرجل: ألي هذا؟ قال: "لجميع أمتي كلهم" ((متفق عليه)).
A man kissed a woman. So he came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and informed him about it. Then Allah revealed this Ayah: "And perform the Salat, between the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night. Verily, the good deeds efface the evil deeds (i.e., minor sins)." (:114) The man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) whether this applies to him only. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "It applies to all of my Ummah." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
After a man confessed his wrong, the Prophet shared the verse that good deeds wipe out bad ones, and made clear this mercy is for the whole community, not one person.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1044 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 54
Hadith 1045
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "الصلوات الخمس، والجمعة إلى الجمعة، كفارة لما بينهن، ما لم تغشَ الكبائر" ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The five (daily) Salat (prayers) and the Friday (prayer) to the Friday (prayer) expiate whatever (minor sins) may be committed in between, so long as major sins are avoided." [Muslim].
In plain words
The five daily prayers, and each Friday prayer to the next, wipe away the smaller sins committed in between, as long as the major sins are avoided.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1045 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 55
Hadith 1046
'Uthman bin 'Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن عثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "ما من امرئ مسلم تحضره صلاة مكتوبة فيحسن وضوءها وخشوعها وركوعها إلا كانت كفارة لما قبلها من الذنوب مالم تؤتَ كبيرة وذلك الدهر كله" ((رواه مسلم)).
I heard Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "When the time for a prescribed Salat is due and a Muslim performs its Wudu' and its acts of bowing and prostration properly, this Salat will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he does not commit major sins, and this applies for ever." [Muslim].
In plain words
Praying on time with proper wudu, bowing, and prostration is an ongoing expiation for past sins, so long as major sins are kept away.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1046 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 56